


Welcome

by Luspiel



Category: xxxHoLic
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Late Night Conversations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:54:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24350890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luspiel/pseuds/Luspiel
Summary: I got into XxxHolic recently (I know like a decade late) because of the killer opening song, and I decided I really liked Doumeki and Watanuki's friendship. This will be my contribution to the fandom.
Relationships: Doumeki Shizuka & Watanuki Kimihiro
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Welcome

It was after staring upwards at the nothingness above me for half an hour straight that I finally decided to swallow my pride. I hated waking up in the middle of the night when it was still dark out. Even the shadows looked malicious if cast a certain way, and I couldn’t tell what was the breeze of the air conditioner or the scuttle of a spirit. Talking to someone would help, I knew that or I hoped that, but I wouldn’t want to bother anyone else this late at night. Well actually....

“Hey, are you awake?”

“I am now. Did you need something?” His voice was a bit raspy with sleep, and it occurred to me that disturbing him with this could also be perceived as asking for his help. Great, just another reason for me to feel indebted to Doumeki. 

All things considered, he was being pretty calm even though I woke him up in the middle of the night. “I’m sorry for waking you so late at night.”

“Is it particularly late? I just assumed that it was late evening, and I hadn’t been asleep for very long.”

“It’s 3 a.m!” His only response was a nonchalant grunt. I sighed, it was really me being the inconvenience, so I shouldn’t be getting angry at him. But he’s just so annoying! 

“So....why did you call me?”

“I don’t know why I called _you_ specifically, but I guess it was because I couldn’t sleep, and it gets lonely in an apartment.” I let silence reign between us for a while, Doumeki had the exact same level of communication skills on the phone as he did in person. “It’s fine when you have a roommate because at least then there’s someone who you see everyday and eat meals with and who asks after you when you’re out late, but it's different living alone.”

“So, you’re lonely. Is that all?”

I grit my teeth at his scathing reply. It was late, and I couldn’t risk waking up the neighbors with my righteous fury. “Well, you haven’t hung up yet.” There was a long pause over on Doumeki’s end. 

“No, I guess I haven’t.” 

I wasn’t really eager to hang up either, “What do you see outside your window?” 

“Uh, there are a lot of trees and the sky.”

“Come on, you can do better than that! Describe it for me, paint a picture with your words,” I teased.

“Tch, fine,” he smacked. “I see the summer leaves, green and vibrant as they’re dusted in moonshine. Is that painting a clear enough picture for you?”

“Like Picasso,” I rolled over onto my stomach, “Keep going.”

“Whatever. The sky—the night sky, um, it glistens with a million stars shining like big balls of, er, gas draped across the horizon like a tapestry that an old shaman weaved.”

“This isn’t really your forte is it,” I snickered.

“Shut up,” came his gruff reply. “You’re the one who made unreasonable demands. What’s outside your window?”

I shifted to lay on my side facing the window. “Nothing you’d want to listen to me describe. It’s just the building across from me, and you can’t even see the stars because of the streetlights. It must be nice living in a temple.” 

“It’s not that different from a normal room.” I could hear Doumeki shift around in his futon. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Really? I mean, I guess.”

“Are you just naive or do you actually enjoy working unnecessarily hard for other people?”

“What kind of question is that?! You are so rude, you know.”

“I know, I know, you hate me, but just answer the question.”

“When did I ever say that? I don’t hate you. Hate is such a strong word; I just don’t particularly like you,” I spluttered. “Besides, your question is way too presumptuous. What if I just like doing nice things for others, hmmm, what then, huh?”

“I guess that could be it, though I don’t really see the point in going out of your way to help strangers or even make lunches for someone you ‘don’t particularly like.’”

“Oh, so that’s what this is about. Hey, don’t worry about the lunches, I do it because I want to, after all you’ve saved my life more times than I care to remember.” 

I listened to the creaks and groans of the pipes for a moment before finally making out a response. “Is that all?”

“Yeah, I guess it is. Though I never would’ve expected you to feel insecure about something so simple as lunch. You’re really more sensitive than I thought, Doumeki, hahaha.”

“I have another question.”

“Jeez just get on with it. You’re much more chatty than usual.”

“That’s because I thought you might be more inclined to answer if I asked in the dead of night.” I allowed Doumeki to fill in the silence this time. “Why did you forgive me? After exorcising her.”

I didn’t want to think about such things tonight. It was thanks to her that I was able to realize the people around me. I would always hold her memory in a fond light. I don’t want to think about this tonight. But still, I remember the look of surprise Doumeki had when I easily forgave him. He must have been wondering for a long time now.

“Just like you said, you made a choice. And I can’t be mad at you for choosing me over her considering that I chose her over myself.”

“Huh,” he drew out the word to form a single sentence. “I’m not sorry I did what I did, but I am sorry it hurt you.”

“Yeah, I figured as much. Let’s just leave the past where it is. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” I guess even he isn’t a totally heartless idiot. 

“I pay attention, you know," he said.

“In what way?” I asked curiously.

“I noticed that whenever you sense evil spirits that it begins to smell really bad to you and you start feeling queasy. I noticed that even though you're not a big eater, you like to cook for others.”

“Why go through all that unnecessary trouble?”

A sigh echoes from across town in the dusky dark, “I pay attention because you’re my friend, and I care about you.”

“You consider me a friend?”

“It’s almost 4 a.m, and I haven’t hung up yet.” I could practically hear the smirk he was making—the closest expression Doumeki had to a smile.

“No, I guess you haven’t.” I stared up at the bare ceiling meaninglessly, now what? “Doumeki….you’re my friend, too. I mean it would be a shame if you died—but I suppose I would feel especially....shamed.” I cringed.

“You really are a weirdo.”

I sprung up in my bed, “Hey! I’m not the one randomly saying things that—“

“—I’ll stay on the line as long as you want, but I’d rather you not wake up the spirits. I can’t see them like you can.”

“Fine,” I huffed nonchalantly. “Thanks though.”

“Yeah, sure whatever.”

“For everything I mean.”

The other boy really was an idiot to think that Doumeki would go through all the trouble he had just for a random classmate. Regardless, he only needed to be by his side and that would be enough. Because even in the dead of night—

“You’re always welcome.”


End file.
